6. Doctor on the sidelines

Effectively managing on‐field emergencies is the most important role of the doctor on the sidelines. Pre‐event preparation is essential and should include a formulated plan for dealing with emergencies and access to emergency equipment such as a stretcher and a bag and mask. Game day injuries should...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Medical journal of Australia 2006-03, Vol.184 (5), p.244-248
Main Authors: Verrall, Geoffrey M, Brukner, Peter D, Seward, Hugh G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Athletes
Athletic Injuries - diagnosis
Athletic Injuries - rehabilitation
Athletic Injuries - therapy
Australia
Australian football
Biological and medical sciences
Cognitive ability
Concussion
Craniocerebral Trauma - diagnosis
Craniocerebral Trauma - therapy
Doping in Sports
Emergency medical care
Football - injuries
General aspects
Head injuries
Health participants
Humans
Male
Medical referrals
Medical sciences
Neuropsychology
Practice Guidelines as Topic
Principles
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Spinal cord injuries
Sports injuries
Sports medicine
Sports Medicine - education
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Summary:Effectively managing on‐field emergencies is the most important role of the doctor on the sidelines. Pre‐event preparation is essential and should include a formulated plan for dealing with emergencies and access to emergency equipment such as a stretcher and a bag and mask. Game day injuries should be assessed by adhering as closely as possible to a normal clinical consultation, with a proper history and examination being performed for all injuries. The athlete with an on‐field head injury should be treated as having a concomitant cervical spine injury until proven otherwise. Athletes with any symptoms after head injury should be comprehensively and continuously assessed. Return‐to‐play decisions are made by balancing the risk of injury recurrence, the potential severity of injury recurrence and the benefits of returning to the field (which are higher at elite than amateur level). There is currently a shortage of doctors willing to cover sports events in Australia, which is partially explained by inadequate remuneration, inadequate facilities provided at venues, inadequate training opportunities in sports medicine, and fear of the medicolegal consequences in taking on the role as a team doctor.
ISSN:0025-729X
1326-5377
DOI:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2006.tb00215.x